Heidi & Bruno Meet the St. Bernards
Since Timberline Lodge was built in 1937, the tradition of having resident St. Bernards has lived on through the decades and is a favorite of our guests. The tradition continues to this day.
Baby Heidi & Bruno
Timberline welcomes St. Bernard pups Heidi (10th) & Bruno (12th). Soon they’ll greet guests at the Front Desk and Day Lodge!
Bruno
Baby Bruno joins senior Bruno, age 8, who will continue napping in the HR Office behind the Barlow Room, now with reduced visitor hours.
HISTORY OF THE TIMBERLINE ST. BERNARDS
St. Bernards are commonly associated with snow-capped mountains. These large, gentle dogs are highly resistant to cold and are known for their extraordinary sense of smell and direction. They earned their reputation in the 1700s for saving lives in the Alps’ St. Bernard Pass between Switzerland and Italy.
St. Bernards have long been a part of Timberline’s tradition. The first Timberline mascots were reportedly Hansel and Gretel in the very early days of lodge operations, followed by Lady and Bruel. In the 1950s, when the Kohnstamm family took over lodge operations, the mascots were briefly replaced by Huskies, starting with Mac, who belonged to an employee. Due to popular demand, the Kohnstamms soon reintroduced St. Bernards, and since the early 1960s the lodge has had mascots named Heidi and Bruno.
For decades, these dogs lived at Timberline, roaming the lodge freely and greeting countless visitors, skiers, and climbers. They became iconic symbols of the mountain, featured on brochures, ski pins, posters, and even Timberline Lodge matchbook covers. Their popularity grew to include a children’s book, Heidi’s Rose, published in the 1980s, as well as appearances in outdoor fashion catalogs photographed at the lodge. Today, guests can even take home their own Heidi and Bruno souvenirs from Timberline's gift shops.
In the mid-1990s, with growing visitation at Timberline, management recognized that the dogs’ traditional role had become too demanding. To protect their health and well-being, the lodge adopted a new model: Heidi and Bruno would belong to long-term Timberline employees, who serve as their caregivers and companions while still bringing them to the lodge to meet guests. This solution allowed the cherished tradition to continue while ensuring the dogs’ quality of life.
Timberline’s newest St. Bernards, Heidi the 10th and Bruno the 12th, were born in July 2025 and arrived at the lodge in September. Carrying forward a cherished tradition, they’ll spend their days greeting visitors at Timberline and their evenings with caretakers—sharing warmth, charm, and mountain spirit with all they meet.